Nancy Brown
Chief Executive Officer
Nancy Brown is Chief Executive Officer of the American Heart Association (AHA), which is celebrating its centennial in 2024 and launching its second century of advancing health and hope for everyone, everywhere. Its unwavering mission: To be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives.
Under Nancy’s leadership as CEO since 2008, the AHA has become a global authority on cardiovascular and brain health as well as overall health and well-being, active in more than 100 countries and generating more than $1.2 billion in annual revenue. Forging powerful partnerships – together with more than 40 million volunteers, supporters and staff – Nancy champions equitable health for all and is committed to innovation at the intersection of science, technology and public health on behalf of patients and their families.
Highlights include:
- Investing more than $5.9 billion to accelerate scientific discoveries in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular care and driving innovation using new technologies, including artificial intelligence.
- Expanding the Association’s global leadership in resuscitation science and CPR/AED education and training, including launching the “Nation of Lifesavers” movement to empower everyone to save a life.
- Empowering women’s health through the Go Red for Women® movement, Research Goes Red—a consumer registry of women— and the Go Red For Women Venture Fund—the largest known dedicated women’s health venture fund in the U.S.
- Funding innovative science in brain health and advancing solutions to build life-long cognitive skills and prevent brain disorders and diseases.
- Leading an integrated approach to food science initiatives, including a multisector Health Care by Food initiative, and developing go-to-market solutions that improve health, food system sustainability and nutrition security.
- Defining cardio-kidney-metabolic syndrome for the first time and launching an initiative to provide treatment guidelines for the roughly 1 in 3 people affected in the U.S.
- Investing in and creating innovative commercial solutions through AHA Ventures, Cardeation Capital, and the Association’s family of Social Impact Funds that support entrepreneurial businesses and community leaders to create equitable, sustainable health solutions.
- Building a healthy, high performing and engaged workforce by partnering with Fortune 500 CEOs, through the AHA CEO Roundtable, to improve the health and well-being of employees, families and communities.
- Ensuring longer, healthier lives for all patients by elevating heart and stroke quality improvement programs and registries in more than 2,900 hospitals and nearly 2,000 clinics across the U.S., including 470 in rural communities, as well as 14 countries.
- Launching a world-class institute for clinical trials to accelerate solutions using data science, registries, and real-life studies.
- Supporting millions of patients and caregivers through next-generation, evidence-based care solutions, navigation services and clinic-to-community connections.
- Launching One Brave Idea™, an $85 million research and innovation enterprise to prevent coronary artery disease, co-founded with Verily. This groundbreaking effort grew into One Brave Idea² which will advance access to AI-based solutions to predict and treat patients at an earlier stage for improved health.
- Establishing 16 Strategically Focused Research Networks and three Health Equity Research Networks to bring together leading experts and investigators to advance scientific discoveries on critical health topics such as hypertension, maternal and infant health, chronic stress, obesity, children’s health, vascular disease, disparities, rural health and more.
- Influencing policies and legislation, for over 40 years, to increase federal research funding, promoting better health and access to care, expanding Medicaid coverage in 40 states including D.C., curtailing sugary drinks and tobacco/e-cigarette consumption, and requiring CPR training in schools.
- Launching Voices for Healthy Kids to drive equitable policies that support healthier places for kids to live, learn and play.
- Strengthening global health system initiatives with key partners like the World Health Organization, World Heart Federation, World Stroke Organization, World Economic Forum, ministries of health and cardiovascular sister societies to advance proven strategies for high-quality systems of care around the world.
- Launching the Value in Healthcare Initiative with the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy to inspire more accessible, affordable and equitable systems of care.
World Economic Forum Leadership Roles
- Global Health Equity Network - Co-Chair
- Global Coalition for Value in Healthcare - Member, Executive Board
- Health & Healthcare Governors Community - Past Co-Chair and Member
External Board Roles
- Alliance for a Healthier Generation - Co-Founder and Member, Board of Directors
- Truth Initiative - Vice Chair and Member, Board of Directors
- Research! America - Treasurer and Member, Board of Directors, Executive Committee, and Chairman, Finance Committee
- Leadership 18 - Member, Executive Committee
- National Health Council - Past Chair and Member, Board of Directors
- Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids - Member, Board of Directors
2024 Key Awards and Recognition
- Forbes’ 50 over 50
- Modern Healthcare’s 2024 Women Leaders
- Fair360’s #1 among Top Companies for Diverse Board of Directors
- NonProfit Times’ Power and Influence
CEO Memberships
- CNBC CEO Council
- The Wall Street Journal CEO Council
- Women Leaders in Healthcare
- Yale CEO Summit